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Women’s Vitality Blast Preview: Lancashire Thunder v Somerset
THE MATCH
Somerset travel to Blackpool CC to take on Lancashire Thunder in the Vitality Blast tomorrow (Friday July 18th).
Play is due to get underway at 2:30pm.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
You can keep up to date using the dedicated Match Centre on this website which will feature a live stream of the action courtesy of Lancashire CCC.
In-play updates will also appear on our X feed (formerly Twitter).
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
THE OPPOSITION
LANCASHIRE THUNDER
Captain:Â Ellie Threlkeld
Overseas player:Â Katie Mack (Australia, first three group matches), Alana King (Australia, from match four onwards)
Key winter moves: Lancashire were busy ahead of 2025. Eve Jones arrived and is currently one of county cricket’s in-form batters. She’s been joined by England fringe fast bowler Grace Potts and Scotland spinner Darcey Carter. Batter Katie Mack will start the Blast before being replaced by one of the competition’s standout overseas signings, her fellow Australian Alana King, the superstar leg-spinner.
The big question: Lancashire have started the summer brilliantly, winning six of eight matches in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, before lifting the T20 County Cup. Can they transfer that momentum into the Blast? If so, they will definitely be a force. They look to be well balanced, with strength across all disciplines. In the regional era, Thunder’s only knockout cricket came courtesy of a 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day appearance.
Wildcard watch:Â Left-armer Sophie Morris is another one off a Lancashire spin-bowling conveyor belt which has nurtured Sophie Ecclestone, Olivia Bell and Hannah Jones in recent times. The 21-year-old played in the regional Charlotte Edwards Cup during the last two summers and, in a 2022 Academy T20 friendly, returned an astonishing 6-0. Her maiden senior five-for came against Durham earlier this month.
Final thought: Ashes rivals, Thunder team-mates. You could well see a spin bowling partnership of Sophie Ecclestone and Alana King during this summer’s Vitality Blast. Aussie leggie King loves Emirates Old Trafford. In 2021, she took a hat-trick there whilst playing for Trent Rockets in The Hundred, a particularly proud moment given it was at the scene of her idol Shane Warne’s ball of the century to Mike Gatting in 1993.
TEAM NEWS
Somerset Women will be without Heather Knight (hamstring), Emma Corney (knee), Dani Gibson (groin), Amelie Munday (knee) and Charlie Dean (international duty). Ruby Davis is also available for selection after extending her short-term deal.
A starting XI will be named from the following squad:
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Ahead of the fixture, Somerset Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “I felt that we showed a genuine response against The Blaze last night after a couple of frustrating performances. We limited their boundary count, were clear with our plans, in the main our field sets were strong and we backed it up with some strong fielding. There are still one or two areas where we could be a bit tidier but on the whole we were pleased with the bowling performance. The disappointing thing was that we didn’t get to finish the job with the bat.
“It’s really important that we take the character that we showed last night into the game at Blackpool. Lancashire won the T20 County Cup, so we know they’re a good side but we are going there to finish the campaign with a win.”
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you are planning to attend the match, all the information you need can be found on the official Lancashire CCC Website.
NEXT MATCH
Somerset are next in action when we take on Essex at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Cheltenham in the Metro Bank One Day Cup on Thursday July 24th.
Tickets for this match are still available.
